Klasse AI introduces market leading US boar to UK

EBX, a market leading terminal sire from the US, has joined Klasse AI’s range of elite boars.

A unique deal with Iowa-based breeder Choice Genetics USA means UK producers will be able to access EBX genetics from June and take advantage of its traits for exceptionally fast growth and efficiency.

“We are delighted that another leading breeding company has agreed to work with us to extend our portfolio of stud boars,” said Simon Guise, Klasse AI’s UK sales manager.

“The EBX ticks all the right boxes for the UK market. This terminal sire is lean, with unrivalled growth performance and exceptional conformation and carcase qualities. He is a welcome addition to our range and compliments our selection of proven elite Danish and UK sires.”

Claimed to be one of the leanest, most rapid-growing terminal sires in the world, the French Piétrain-derived boar has been developed by Choice Genetics since 1992 with a breeding programme targeting fast, efficient lifetime growth. It has a proven track record, exhibiting robust vigour and excellent early performance post-weaning, while delivering sustained average daily growth rates of around 950-1000g/day through to slaughter.

“Feedback from our customers shows there’s a strong demand for these genetics here and our objective is to provide them with what they need to improve their business efficiency in the most convenient and cost-effective way we can,” said Mr Guise.

Commercial pig businesses using this boar have noted substantial benefits to rearing herd performance with marked improvements in daily gain. Its progeny demonstrate consistently good confirmation, with a high lean meat percentage and exceptionally low back fat levels at 84 kgs deadweight (average P2 is around 10.5mm), the company added.

Mr Guise and Robin Lawson, Klasse general manager, visited Choice Genetics earlier this year to view a number of potential stud boars and learn about the company’s comprehensive breeding programme.

Selected EBX boars have now been approved to join the Klasse stud and have almost completed its rigorous quarantine and quality control procedures. Semen will be available from these sires next month, although pre-orders for existing customers are being accepted.

About Choice Genetics

Choice Genetics evaluates more than 10,000 terminal line boars a year using hi-tech performance tests. They include extensive Feed Intake Recording Equipment (FIRE) assessments and detailed carcase analysis using Computed Tomography (CT) scanning to measure the protein/muscle mass and fat distribution/content – it boasts of testing more boars by CT scanning than any other breeding company.

These detailed measurements are correlated and used within breeding value calculations to determine genetic worth, in terms of growth and carcase quality/value, and identify the very best boars for use at AI.

The agreement between Choice and Klasse’s parent company Rattlerow Farms, also provides these UK businesses with a unique insight into the meat quality research that many US pig breeders are now committed to.

US pigmeat supply chains are being urged to improve pork’s quality, taste and tenderness as the industry believes a better eating experience will raise consumption levels and global market opportunities for its products.

The US pig industry is currently reviewing carcase classification to establish if valuable carcase traits, such as intra muscular fat content, colour and succulence, might be measured accurately and as such rewarded within grading and payment systems.

Choice Genetics has been benchmarking meat quality traits within its breeding programme for some time and routinely uses state-of-the-art technology, including CT/MRI scanning and meat colour and succulence assessments, to ‘better match’ the production needs of farmers for efficient meat production with supply chain requirements and consumer preferences.

Rattlerow Farm’s Managing Director Robert Lawson said Klasse’s mission is to harness the very best genetic innovation available from around the world and deliver it to the UK production sector.

“Our core objective is to seek out and secure superior genotypes by working collaboratively with breeders to give them access to our market, while enabling producers here to benefit from the genetic excellence they can provide.

“We are delighted that in addition to our excellent relationship with Danbred we can now add Choice to our genetic partnerships. The expansion of our AI business shows this to be a successful formula,” he added.